Walking the Talk
A Trial Social Justice Curriculum Unit from Justvision.
Year 10 – 12.
1. Unit Goal:
This unit aims to empower young people that they too can ‘make a difference’ in our world and that ‘justice’ can be a part of their day to day
lives. Core to the unit will be the stories of eight people who, in varying ways ‘walk the talk’. The unit also aims to equip young people with
language, concepts and skills to engage critically for a more just world.
2. Unit Methodology: This unit of work will address the core content by situating it within real issues and stories. The unit begins by
providing;
 Language
 Concepts
 Principles
These core elements will be used to enable informed conversation and reflection on the issues. The language, concepts and principles will
become ‘coat-hangers’ and lenses for students to grow their world view on. Educators are encouraged to begin with the focus story then
unpack it with focus questions, discussion, analysis and reflection. After unpacking the focus story teachers are then invited to introduce more
core content, each time stretching the student’s world view and ability to critique. In some cases students are then invited to engage in some
internet research linked to the topic. Finally the focus story is viewed again in the light of what the students’ have experienced.
3. Unit Content:
3.1
3.2
3.3
Elements of Catholic Social Justice Teaching, Methods of Engagement, Core Relationship.
Charity and Change; our framework – Educating for a Better World for All.
Methods of Engagement: Solidarity, Advocacy, Awareness and Action
Core Relationship: Guest, Presence and the innate dignity of all; our theology and missiology.
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3.4
Catholic Social Justice Principles
Human dignity, Community, Rights and Duties, Option for the Poor, Participation, Economic Justice, Stewardship of Creation, Solidarity,
Role of Government, Promotion of Peace
3.5
3.6
Social Analysis and Theological Reflection
Interconnectedness and interdependence
4. Social Justice Issues addressed:
 Homelessness in Australia
 Our relationship with Indigenous Australians
 East Timor; our nearest neighbour
 Beyond ‘single issues’ - all is connected.
** There are many other issues linked to Social Justice but the choice was made to limit the scope in this unit to four or five issues. By
doing so the unit will hopefully prove to be a vehicle for taking on board the skills and concepts that will empower the student to engage
effectively in other issues / topics.
5. Our Stories:
Julia and Charlie – Homelessness in Australia
Nora and Georgia – Our relationship with Indigenous Australians
Katrina and Chris – East Timor our nearest neighbour
Liam and Sean – Beyond single issues – all is connected.
6. Lessons: 14 lessons ** Teachers will shorten or lengthen this unit to suit their own time frames and circumstances. The 14 lesson
format is a guide only.
i. Introductory lesson A; Innate dignity of the person, Principles of Catholic Social Justice teaching.
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ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
Introductory Lesson B; Framework for educating for Justice and Peace; signs of the times, Interconnectedness and interdependence
and Global citizenship, sustainable futures, Identity, Reconciliation and Cultural Diversity, Cultivating inner peace, Human Rights, the
UN Declaration of Human Rights, The Earth Charter.
Introductory lesson C; Theology of Guest and Presence.
Story 1 – Julia and Charlie + core concept material and analysis
Story 2 – Julia and Charlie + core concept material and analysis
Story 3 – Nora and Georgia + core concept material and analysis
Story 4 – Nora and Georgia + core concept material and analysis
Introductory lesson D; Charity and Change, Advocacy, Awareness, Action and Solidarity.
Story 5 – Katrina and Chris + core concept material and analysis
Story 6 – Katrina and Chris + core concept material and analysis
Story 7 – Liam and Sean + core concept material and analysis
Story 8 – Liam and Sean + core concept material and analysis
Common themes, recall learnings, interconnectedness and interdependence, drawing the themes together.
Ritual, prayer service. Namaste, Faces of Love, Innate dignity of all.
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Basic Outline of Unit Lessons.
Lessons:
i.
Introductory lesson A; Innate dignity of the person, Principles of Catholic Social Justice teaching.
Foundational lesson. In this first lesson we introduce the key concept of the innate [of its essence] dignity of all people regardless of colour,
creed, age, state of health etc. Psalm 139, Isaiah 49, Matthew 6 and other Scriptures may be used. Each person is totally and unconditionally
loved by our God. The Teachings of the Faith Community that we are temples of the Holy Spirit is introduced. The parallel concepts in other
great faith traditions could be named. The Hindi word, ‘Namaste’ and all that it implies could be used. A simple practice could be to light a
large candle and place it at the side of the Classroom to symbolise the dignity of each person. This candle could be lit at the beginning of each
lesson as a simple ritual.
After this the core Principles of Catholic Social Justice Teaching could be named. This could be an internet research lesson where students
research these elements and respond to a simple Q and A that means that they must state the principles in their own words. A written
paragraph naming the interconnectedness between the principles could assist understanding. The teacher would then place cardboard
summaries around the walls of the classroom with the key principles on them and a simple definition. This will be important as the unit will
encourage the use of this language and the concepts that they hold sacred.
ii.
Introductory Lesson B; Framework for educating for Justice and Peace; signs of the times, Interconnectedness and interdependence
and Global citizenship, sustainable futures, Identity, Reconciliation and Cultural Diversity, Cultivating inner peace, Human Rights, the
UN Declaration of Human Rights, The Earth Charter.
In this second Foundational lesson some of the other ‘signposts’ on our Justice journey are introduced. The insight of Marshall McLuhan that
we live in a Global Village will be pivotal to this lesson. One way to introduce this concept would be the often used power-point that breaks
down the planet to a village of 1000 people;
see the work of Donella Meadows (1990), State of the Village Report, the Sustainability Institute.
http://www.miniature-earth.com
http://www.100people.org
http://www.odtmaps.com
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After this a ball of wool could be used. Invite the students to stand around the classroom or area where the lesson is being held. Throw the
wool to different students and name something that connects you [eg. Paul and I play in the same Soccer team]. Each student holds on to their
section of the wool until a ‘web’ is formed. After this is completed introduce a second ball of wool of a different colour – preferably green.
Have the students throw this to one another in the same way. As this is being done – or immediately after it – name that not only are we all
interconnected on this planet but all – including all life on the planet – are interdependent – no person, no living thing – is an island. Invite
students to break off two short bits of wool – one bit of each colour – and make a small book-mark using a ‘Namaste’ card [see Appendix D]
with a hole-punch at the top for the intertwined bits of wool. This bookmark and what it represents could be referred to often. For homework
invite each student to research either the UN Declaration of Human Rights and or the Earth Charter; their key principles, history and in fifty
words name what their connections are to the core elements of this lesson. Again – as for the first lesson – the teacher prepares some
cardboard summaries of the key words / concepts that will be placed around the walls of the classroom as the students come back for their
next lesson.
iii.
Introductory lesson C; Guest, Presence.
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This third lesson is vital for the overall success of the unit. While it is important to have the signposts on our justice journey in place –
ultimately – it is HOW we travel that journey and how we approach ourselves and others that will provide meaning for life. This is the element
of our spirituality. As we educate for justice and peace our goal is to form in the students an “engaged spirituality” that leads students to
service, solidarity and compassion.
Core to this lesson is the work of Henri Nouwen. Nowen, a Dutch priest who worked for many years in the USA and finally in a L’Arche
community developed the spirituality of host- guest. [YouTube clip of Nouwen – “You are the beloved!”] If we truly to honour the innate
dignity of all and to have the mind-set and heart-set to live the principles outlined in the first two lessons we must approach all life – as guest.
The guest comes slowly, open, aware, respect filled [from the Latin respecere – “to look again”], honouring the host, taking off your inner
shoes, seeing the other as ‘holy’ and of great worth. The guest comes with an attitude that we cannot know the other’s truth – the other’s
story, but can come to it, to them, willing to learn, to receive. Exodus 3:1-6 introduces the concept of “Holy Ground” and John Michael Talbot’s
song, “This is Holy Ground” would be valuable resources. It may be helpful to introduce someone’s story – either directly [through a guest
speaker] or indirectly [through a short film] and use this to introduce the concept of coming as guest to that story.
Once one has come as ‘guest’ what does one then do. Our world is so full of doing. So often the poor and the powerless do not necessarily
need us to ‘do’ anything. Our presence, our solidarity, our brotherhood and sisterhood with them – mean so much. So it would be important
to introduce the concept of PRESENCE. Presence is a choice to be there totally for the other. A choice to listen deeply, to touch respectfully, to
speak from the heart, to look intently beyond the surface presenting data to the ‘other’ and to their story. This presence says beyond words,
“You are beautiful, you are special, you are gift – just as you are!” This is very liberating both for the one being present and of the other.
Having now introduced the key concepts the unit invites us to practice them in our discussions and to bounce them off
the stories that are presented to us through the stories of Julia, Charlie, Nora and Georgia.
Key Questions for reflection in lessons 4 to 7. There are other questions presented in the ‘stories’ section that follows here [see pages 10-16]
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What does [Julia, Charlie, Nora, Georgia] DO with and for the people?
What words would you use to describe their approach to what they do?
What key concepts do you see ‘at work’ in this story / film?
Do they ‘walk the talk’? Why? Why not?
What does this story say to YOU in your day to day?
What can we learn from this story?
iv. Story 1 – Julia and Charlie + core concept material and analysis
v. Story 2 – Julia and Charlie + core concept material and analysis
You may wish to use some of the strategies outlined below; all except ‘c’ would be applicable at this stage.
vi. Story 3 – Nora and Georgia + core concept material and analysis
vii. Story 4 – Nora and Georgia + core concept material and analysis
At this point of the unit some work on Indigenous Spirituality may be helpful. The YouTube movie, “Kanyini” would be an excellent resource
and the ‘Kanyini’ chapter from the book, ‘Songman’ by Uncle Bob Randal.
viii.
Introductory lesson D; Charity and Change, Advocacy, Awareness, Action and Solidarity.
At this point of the unit students may well be looking to respond to these issues. The Framework for educating for Justice and Peace invites
students to “engage in service and solidarity after they have been conscientised to the reality of the world and the root causes of injustice”.
This lesson will hopefully introduce students to ways they can participate in Social Action and Solidarity programs in partnership with those
on the margins. The article [Appendix C] – ‘Head, Heart and Hands’ by Fr. Albert Nolan may assist as a bridge from story awareness of / for
each person to ways to go about responding. Both the Social Analysis – Cause and Effect of Appendix A and the identification of the key
response element in Appendix B will assist students in moving past a superficial response. A truly “transformed curriculum” will be for
students an empowering, reflective, rigorous, authentic curriculum that will equip them with justice and peace literacy. It would be useful to
teach some form of ‘Theological Reflection’ or ‘the Pastoral Cycle’ as a tool for future analysis. The basic format used in Appendix A could be
used for any Social Justice issue.
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The final lessons of the unit take the concepts and coat-hangers that students have now engaged with and uses them to examine the
situation in East Timor through the eyes and stories of Katrina and Chris. Then, Liam and Sean’s story invite the students to think beyond
single issues to the interconnectedness of all.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
Story 5 – Katrina and Chris + core concept material and analysis
Story 6 – Katrina and Chris + core concept material and analysis
Story 7 – Liam and Sean + core concept material and analysis
Story 8 – Liam and Sean + core concept material and analysis
Common themes, recall learnings, interconnectedness and interdependence.
Ritual, prayer service. Namaste, Faces of Love, Innate dignity of all.
Strategies:
a. View each story. What are the core elements of HOW that person sees the people they are involved with or in Sean’s case the link
between the human and other life? View the story a second time – what do you hear? What are their core values? [Core words:
Reciprocity, Respect, Guest, Solidarity.]
b. Introduce the word ‘Respect’ - from the Latin – to look again.
c. Hand out A4 sheet – Appendix B. Invite the students to label each element as solidarity, advocacy, awareness or action.
d. Introduce the concept of reciprocity – a two way, respectful relationship in which both give and receive.
e. Teach cause and effect – give students an A4 sheet of paper with a whole series of words and phrases – students are invited to draw
lines of connection between them – what leads to what. [Appendix A] This reflection on cause and effect may create good debate
within the class. It is important to challenge ‘assumptions’ in people’s reactions and comments – do not dismiss these assumptions –
just challenge them.
f. Invite someone who works on a Hospitality Van with and for the homeless to sit in on this discussion and then to share their lived
experience of cause and effect in the lives of the homeless.
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g. Invite students from the class to participate in a ‘street retreat’ and then to engage with the cause and effect reflection.
h. Have the class watch the Australian movie, ‘Tom White’; have a discussion sheet for the viewing.
Resources:
1. Educating for a better world for all [Edmund Rice Education Australia].
2. Head, Heart and Hands by Fr. Albert Nolan
3. Charter for Catholic Schools in the Edmund Rice Tradition
For more assistance with this ‘trial’ unit, to gain a greater sense of its conceptual framework, to give feedback or to suggest strategies you may
wish to contact the author;
Br. Damien Price cfc PhD
damienprice74@gmail.com
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The Eight Stories
Julia and Charlie
“Off the Bench” and “Invitation”
Innate dignity, Guest, Presence, Friendship,
Community, Reciprocity, Option for the Poor.
Questions for reflection, discussion:
 What is the stereotypical view of homeless people?
 Is this YOUR experience?
 How did Julia’s views change?
 Why do people come to the van?
 What does Julia see that the people “who just drive by”
don’t see?
 Why do you think Ronnie, Leighann and Julia have
connected?
 Do you think Julia is extraordinary?
Journal: Comment on this quote from Julia in terms of what you are
learning about Catholic Social Justice Teaching, coming as guest and
being present to people.
“To be there a couple of hours and create this little bit of
community that we had and follow that up each week so they knew
someone would be coming out and there would be someone to talk
to. Maybe in the long run it may change someone’s life but that
was never the aim and I don’t think we would consider ourselves
Walking the Talk – Social Justice Unit – Justvision 2011
great failures because we had a fair bit of fun along the way and
they probably did too!” Julia
Scripture: What Scripture comes to mind as you reflect on the
stories from the streets, from Julia, Charlie, old Pete, Leighann and
Ronnie? Why do you think that?
Journal:
Choose three of the following quotations from ‘Invitation’ and
reflect what your response is to them in terms of the key concepts
you are learning.
Terms: Innate dignity of the person, Guest, Presence, Compassion,
Friendship, Community, Reciprocity, Option for the Poor.
Charlie: “You have to have respect for people!” “It is not so much
about service as forming community with them.” “It is NOT, ‘I am
saving this person, I’m giving lots!’” “Maybe I’m the guest. Maybe
they have something to give to me!” “I could do something like that
but …it is a risk, not in terms of safety, it is a risk in terms of putting
yourself out there!” “But if you don’t have a go you won’t get
anything from it.” “Stop thinking about saving the world, just get in
and have a crack!” “It is OK to make mistakes, it is not OK to just sit
there and not have a go!”
Old Pete: “We are the greatest of mates.” “I don’t care whether
you are rich or poor or anything we are all equal!” “You are put
here for one purpose, for the challenge of living!”
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Cassie: “For Charlie and I it was really important to have family and
friends there [at our wedding] and Pete we think is a friend, he is
not someone we see as a marginalised person.”
Nora and Georgia
“Jill of all trades” and “One day I’ll dance at your
wedding!”
Story, Awareness, Solidarity, Advocacy,
Reconciliation, Cultural Diversity, Guest, Presence,
Human Dignity, Option for the Poor, Community.
Questions for reflection, discussion:
 What do you believe Nora and Georgia ‘do’ for the
people they worked with?
 Why do you believe Indigenous Australians are
represented far higher in statistics for depression,
substance abuse, unemployment, lack of tertiary
education, imprisonment – than for their percentage of
the population?
 Why do you think Nora could say she could see the ‘face
of God’ in the people?
 Georgia refers to ‘time’ on several occasions. Why do
you believe it was so important for her building of
relationship with the people of Murgon / Cherbourg?
Journal:
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Choose three of the following quotations from ‘Jill of all trades’
and reflect what your response is to them in terms of the key
concepts you are learning.
Terms: Innate dignity of the person, Guest, Presence, Compassion,
Friendship, Community, Reciprocity, Solidarity, Advocacy,
Spirituality, Option for the Poor.
a. I have a passion for justice, a deep faith and a real feel for
people.
b. I did not know Aboriginal people before Cunnamulla and I
began to appreciate some of the culture, some of the
hardships that they had. People do not analyse why they
behave the way they do; I think that is awfully important.
c. You do see the face of God in the poor; people in
Woorabinda really really come to mind ….Woorabinda; it
was like a open air prison, there were signposts on the
access roads that read, ‘If you come past this point without
a permit you will be fined $200!’
d. Every night our kitchen would be packed. People would be
on their way home from the pub and they would all come in
and we had five guitars and the best sing-alongs came out
of our place and great story telling.
e. I went to the prison probably once a month, I went to court
with people sort of trying to make them more or less
understand the background. I remember in particular one
fellow who murdered his cousin’s brother and it was all over
a beer; they were really drunk. The barrister said to me,
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‘The only way you can help him is by going on the stand!’ So
I agreed to go on the stand.
f. Really, the poorest of the poor; we were there with them in
their ups and downs, their good times and happy times.
g. If I met Catherine McAuley at the pearly gates I hope she
would say to me, ‘Nora, I’m proud of you. You were mercy
for people, you were compassion, and it brought people to
people and you kept your sense of humour!’
Scripture: Matthew 25: 31-40
Journal: Comment on these three quotes; from Br. Marty
Sanderson and Georgia in terms of Reconciliation, Respect and
Community.
 Br. Marty; “Whatever Reconciliation might mean and it can
have many faces and many expressions, I think what has
occurred here for Georgia and the people from the
Cherbourg and Murgon communities who have got to know
her has been really doing reconciliation, not just talking
about it, or thinking about it, or having it as a nice idea but
actually seeking to make it happen; day by day!”
 Georgia: “To put time into Cherbourg I needed to put
myself into Cherbourg. It was no use pretending who I am, I
needed to be myself because that is who they are and they
never beat around the bush. They always present
themselves, this is who I am, take it or leave it. So I felt I
had to match this a little bit - I had to build a relationship
with these people. I had to trust them as much as they
Walking the Talk – Social Justice Unit – Justvision 2011
were going to trust me and we had to have some respect
between one another rand that respect and relationship
building takes time, it has taken time, it was not just two
weeks to a month; it has taken me two years!”
 “I now see Indigenous people as really positive community
orientated people. They love their communities; they love
their families and friends; that is why they want to live in
community together. That is why they want to live four
hours from Alice Springs in their small communities. That is
why they still want to live in the bush because that is their
culture and lifestyle; I never saw that when I was in
Melbourne!
Katrina and Chris
“Uma” and “I’m the lucky one!”
Charity and Change, Friendship, Community,
Solidarity, Advocacy, Human Dignity.
Questions for reflection, discussion:
 What did the people of East Timor do for Katrina?
 Why do you feel the concepts of ‘guest’ and ‘presence’
were so important to Katrina?
 What elements of Social Justice response; solidarity,
awareness, action or advocacy do you feel Katrina and
Chris engage in and why?
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 When in your life have you most felt ‘at home’ other
than with your own family – why do you think you felt at
home there?
 Why do you think Chris thinks he is the lucky one?
Journal: Comment on these quotes from Katrina in terms of
what you are learning about Catholic Social Justice
Teaching, coming as guest and being present to people.
i. Home is where you come back somewhere and
there are people there that you love and you feel
comfortable and you feel welcome and you feel that
you belong.
ii. They [the East Timorese people] have really taught
me that there is great peace in being free.
iii. I started to find out that because I could speak the
language people would pour their hearts out to me,
especially women and young girls and younger
children. And so you would have these people who
could sit there and tell you their stories and tell you
all the awful things that had happened to them and
how they were feeling now about it and it was really
hard, what could I do about it ….all I could do was to
listen and be present to those people.
iv. I became aware of things that I would question and
want to change and then I had to remind myself that
I was a guest in someone’s else’s country and
someone else culture.
Walking the Talk – Social Justice Unit – Justvision 2011
v.
Timor is never going to be far from my heart!”
Scripture: John 13: 1-15
Journal:
Choose three of the following quotations from ‘I’m the Lucky
one!’ and reflect what your response is to them in terms of the
key concepts you are learning.
Terms: Awareness, Solidarity, Advocacy, Action, Compassion,
Friendship, Community, Reciprocity, Option for the Poor.
a) My heart is very much at peace in Timor. The relationships
that I built when I first got to East Timor, from that year I
was living there, they were so strong that I don’t feel that
they are strangers, I don’t feel like they are friends or
people just living in East Timor; they are my brothers and
sisters.
b) It is a material poverty, certainly, but once you really get to
know the people, once you are immersed in their lives and
start to be involved in what is happening there you really
look past that and you realise these people are far from
poor; there is so much richness in their culture, so much
richness in their faith and they love to share it.
c) One of the things I wanted for myself when I returned from
East Timor was to create more awareness for East Timor
and to allow people to change their world perspectives the
same way mine was changed.
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d) But I thought the only way someone can really experience a
place like East Timor is to actually go there and meet the
people.
e) To travel to East Timor not as tourists, but as pilgrims, to
immerse themselves completely in the lives and culture of
the people who were living in the villages up in the
mountains of East Timor.
f) People automatically begin to build a solidarity with the
people who are there.
g) My hope for people who have returned from an Immersion
is that they can see their own world, their own lives in a
different light.
h) Coming home I felt I was faced with the challenge of what
do I do with this, where do I take this? What do I do with
this now?
i) You can hear these stories and you can know the people but
you can never feel the pain and the sadness that the
majority of people in Timor have felt. What you can feel is a
feeling of supporting each other, a feeling of welcoming,
friendship and acceptance.
j) I’m the lucky one!
Liam and Sean
“A little help for my friends” and “Walking gently on
the earth.”
Walking the Talk – Social Justice Unit – Justvision 2011
Human Dignity, Community, Rights and Duties,
Option for the Poor, Participation, Stewardship of
Creation, Solidarity, Advocacy, and Action.
Questions for reflection, discussion:
 Is there anything in what Sean has shared that is
different to how you had seen things before watching
this film? What is it and why?
 What is it that Sean wants us to be ‘aware’ of?
 Have you ever experienced that ‘sense of the sacred’
that Sean refers to – that he senses when he is in the
wilderness?
 What links does Sean make between the natural and
human worlds and how does his ‘awareness’ – nurtured
in nature – impact upon how he engages with people?
 Why do you think Liam would want a politician to speak
to an Asylum Seeker rather than to him?
 Do you sense Liam gets as much from his relationship
with asylum seekers as he gives? Why is this reciprocity
so important?
Journal: Comment on these quotes from Sean in terms of what
you are learning about guest, presence, interconnectedness,
interdependence, stewardship of creation.
1. I’m a bit of a realist hippy or tree hugger. I guess I know we
have to have development so my job is about trying to
ensure that that happens but minimising the negative
impacts of the environment as much as possible.
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2. Sadly I think a lot of people don’t really get it, the ecological
crisis that we are facing. I can understand why, in my mind it
is all a matter of dislocation from the issues. We are not
presented with them in our day to day existence, so it is
easy to overlook, we can continue our day to day live sand
not be faced by the loss of habitat in some poor part of the
world where that is essential for the people’s livelihood –
but we are supporting that through our consumerism there is a lot of distance and dislocation from the issues.
3. Meaning it is not in the forefront of our minds and even
though we know it is an issue we should be concerned
about, it is not so big an issue that we are passionate to
change the way we are living.
4. Awareness is one of the big things that is going to help us
solve the problems we are facing I think, we have to get
more aware and more informed about what is happening
with our world. How can I as one little person do anything
that can make a difference? Awareness is huge – it can help
empower people to feel they can do something in their own
small way.
5. I just love the thought that every atom and molecule that is
making up my body has been a part of this Universe for
Millennia and in many different forms, I just love the
concept and that my being is temporary and that Science
side of things rings true for my spirituality side of things and
you know having a spirituality really grounded in the Earth
Walking the Talk – Social Justice Unit – Justvision 2011
and seeing the sacredness of the Earth and everything on it
and just respecting that. The Sacredness that I am talking
about definitely helps me to feel a lot more compassion for
people I don’t really know and issues I don’t really
understand, to help me not form an opinion, to reserve
judgment, on things, ah, and just stand back and see some
of those issues through other people’s eyes.
6. I always sense a presence when I’m in the busy – it really
has become my Church – to use that sort of term – I feel a
lot more whole. I feel at ease, I just feel there is a spiritual
presence there!
Scripture: Matthew 6: 25-33 and Luke 10: 29-37
Journal:
Choose three of the following quotations from ‘With a little help
for my friends’ and reflect what your response is to them in terms
of the key concepts you are learning.
Terms: Innate dignity of the person, Guest, Presence, Compassion,
Friendship, Community, Reciprocity, Option for the Poor.
 Some Asylum Seekers have no work rights, no right to study,
no access to health care, no access to any Centre Link
payments. We saw that there was a lack of friendship based
services. So we decided to do something about that.
 They can come without the burden of where they have
come from, and who they have left and the traumas they
have seen - on their shoulders – they can come and just be
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



who they are and enjoy each other’s company, play a bit of
pool and get away from the traumas they have to deal with
every day.
The friendship that I have with (Hamed, an asylum seekers)
him and the things I have learnt from him, I will always
value.
Hamed: As a father it is very hard to even believe the reality
that you are not with your family – it is really hard and
sometimes I cry.
It is really difficult to listen to the people talking about the
difficulties they have had and they live through every day –
hearing stories of where they have come from only to come
here only to be treated just as poorly.
If I could sit down with a politician for five minutes I think I
would ask for one minute with them and then ask them to
spend the rest of the four minutes with an asylum seeker.
Walking the Talk – Social Justice Unit – Justvision 2011
 Hamed: Asylum Seeker is not just words, Asylum Seeker is
someone’s life and someone’s life means someone’s history
and background and memories and everything you
experience – one person who is an Asylum Seeker has a
huge history.
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Appendix A
Mental Illness
HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTRALIA
Poverty
Family Breakdown
Poor communication skills
Manic behaviour
Isolation
School dropout
Cannot read or write
Unemployment
Sexual abuse
No regular place of abode
Police record
Schizophrenia
Inability to handle conflict
Physical abuse
Anger
Poor school attendance
Time in prison
No mailing address
No access to a laundry
No references
No CV
Loss of contact with family
Poor interview skills
Alcohol dependence
Poor personal hygiene
Loss of confidence
Depression
Drug dependence
Paranoia
Lack of bank account
No social supports
Walking the Talk – Social Justice Unit – Justvision 2011
Kicked out of home
Victim of Racism
Diabetes
No trade
Self- harming
Loss of self esteem
High Blood Pressure
No personal car
Poor conflict resolution skills
Parents fight
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Appendix B
Solidarity, Awareness, Advocacy or Action?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
You research causes of poverty in East Timor on the internet
You make a screen saver with core facts about poverty in the majority world and change the screen saver each week
You write a letter to the Government challenging mandatory detention for Asylum Seekers
You attend a refugee march in the city during Refugee Week
You sign a petition asking for more Government support for mental illness within the community
You volunteer at a soup kitchen once a week for six months
You organise a lunch time debate at your school on the issues of mandatory detention of Asylum Seekers
You stay in E-mail contact with a young person you met while on an Immersion to South Africa
You develop a pen-pal relationship with a student in a school in East Timor
You invite a past student who has worked with homeless people / or in a majority world nation back to the school to address the assembly.
You hold a fund raiser to raise money for a majority world community.
You put a bumper sticker on your family car about refugee rights.
You volunteer at a drop in centre for Asylum Seekers.
You get your family to use Fair Trade products.
You hold a silent candle vigil outside the Department of Immigration for Asylum Seekers in mandatory detention.
To talk to your family about the reasons people risk death to come to Australia on small boats.
You organise for a small / short fact about a Social Justice issue to be put into the school newsletter each week.
You go out of your way to welcome students from majority world countries that come to your school.
You volunteer at a homework club for refugee students.
You plan a gap year after you finish school and choose to volunteer in a majority world community.
You choose to live more simple in your family and with the money saved support a family in need.
You befriend a local refugee family and offer to do voluntary child care for them.
You plant Australian native plants that are more water friendly in your family garden.
You engage with the school admin about introducing Fair Trade coffee for the staff room.
You set up an Amnesty International Chapter in your school.
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Appendix C
.
Head, Heart and Hands
.
Spiritual Growth and the Option for the Poor
.
(Fr Albert Nolan OP)
.
I have chosen to speak about the service of the poor. I want to talk about what this service of the poor means, and how it should develop, the spiritual
. perform. There is a real development that goes
development we can go through in our service to the poor in the many different ways in which we try to
through stages in very much the same way as the stages of prayer. For example, some of us will know quite a bit about the stages of humility, steps of
humility which St. Bernard talks about. Or, the stages of love and charity that we read about in our .spiritual books. Now I am suggesting that in our
commitment to the poor there is a parallel spiritual experience that also goes through different stages. Crisis, dark nights and light... and it is that which I
.
would like to speak about.
COMPASSION
.
.
The first stage then, as I understand, of this commitment to the poor is characterized by compassion. We have all been moved personally by what we
have seen or heard of the sufferings of the poor. That is only a starting point and needs to develop and grow.
.
Two things help this growth and development of compassion. The first is what we have now come to. call exposure. The more we are exposed to the
sufferings of the poor, the deeper and more lasting does our compassion become. Some agencies these days organize programs and send people off to
a Third World country to enable them to see something of the hardships and grinding poverty. There is nothing
to replace the immediate contact with pain
.
and hunger. Seeing people in the cold and rain after their houses have been bulldozed. Or experiencing the intolerable smell in a slum. Or seeing what
. we want others to know that more than half the
children look like when they are suffering from malnutrition. Information is also exposure. We know and
world is poor and that something like 800 million people in the world do not have enough to eat and in one way or another are starving. For many people
.
the only experience of life from the day they are born until the day they die is the experience of being hungry.
All sorts of information can help us become
more compassionate, more concerned. Providing, of course, that we allow it to happen. That we don’t put obstacles in the way by becoming more callous,
. a way of allowing our compassion to develop,
or saying, “It’s not my business,” or “I’m in no position to do anything about it.” We as Christians have
indeed, we have a way of nourishing this compassion as a virtue. Indeed, we can see it as a divine attribute, so that when I feel compassionate I am
. faith, enables me to deepen my compassion by
sharing God’s compassion, I am sharing what God feels about the world today. Also, my Christianity, my
seeing the face of Christ in those who are suffering, remembering that whatever we do to the least of his brothers and sisters we do to him. All these
things help, and this developing compassion leads on to action, action of two kinds that we may to some. extent be involved in.
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.
.
.
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The first of these is what we generally call relief work, the collecting and distributing of food, money, blankets and clothes, or the development of
sophisticated ways of doing things. And the second action that leads immediately from our compassion would probably be a simplification of our lifestyle,
trying to do without luxuries, trying to save money to give to the poor, doing without unnecessary material goods and so forth. There’s nothing
extraordinary about that; it’s part of a long Christian tradition: compassion, alms giving, voluntary poverty. My point is that this is the first stage. And what
seems to be extremely important is that we go on from there.
STRUCTURAL CHANGE
Now the second stage begins with the gradual discovery that poverty is a structural problem. That is, poverty in the world today is not simply misfortune,
bad luck, or inevitable due to laziness, ignorance or a lack of development. Poverty, in the world today, is a direct result of political and economic
structures. It is the result of political and economic policies. In other words, the poverty that we have in the world today is not accidental, it has been
created. It has been, I almost want to say, been manufactured by particular policies and systems. In other words, poverty in the world today is a matter of
justice and injustice and the poor people of the world are people who are suffering a terrible injustice. Not that I want immediately to blame individuals.
Certainly the greed of the rich is the reason why there are the sufferings of the poor, but what I am trying to say is that it is a structural problem. We are all
involved in this; we’re the victims, we’re the pawns, whatever you like, but we’re all part of it. It is a structural problem.
This characterizes what I am calling the second stage of our spiritual development. It immediately leads to indignation or, m ore bluntly, anger. It leads to
anger against the rich, against politicians, against governments for their lack of compassion, for their policies that cause poverty and suffering. Now anger
is something that we as Christians are not very comfortable with. It makes us feel a little guilty when we discover that we are angry. But there is a most
important sense in which anger is the other side of the coin of compassion. If we cannot be angry then we cannot really be compassionate either. If my
heart goes out to the people who are suffering, then I must be angry with those who make them suffer. The problem, of course, for us Christians is that
there can even be a crisis at this stage. What about forgiveness, or loving one’s enemies? Anger doesn’t mean hatred to begin with. I can be angry with a
person whom I love; a mother can be angry with a child because the child nearly burned the house down. And must we not be angry with the child
because of love and concern, to show the child seriousness of love and concern? So sometimes I must be angry. Sometimes I must share God’s anger.
The Bible is full of God’s anger, which we tend to find embarrassing at times, rather than helpful to our spiritual lives. My suggestion that we need to share
God’s anger means not hatred, but rather, as we say so often, not a hatred of the sinner but a hatred of sin. What I want to suggest here is that the more
we all understand the structural problem as a structural problem, the more we are able to forgive the individuals involved. It’s extremely important for us in
South Africa, for example, to recognize that the wickedness, the extreme wickedness of what is happening is not something that we can blame P.W.
Botha [former Prime Minister of South Africa] for, as if he were by himself a particularly wicked individual. We blame the system, and if he were to
disappear, someone else would go on. It is not a question of hating or blaming or being angry with individuals as such, but of tremendous indignation
against a system that creates so much suffering and so much poverty. My suggestion is that the more we have that anger, the closer we are to God. And
if we cannot have that anger, not only about South Africa but about any system or any policy that creates suffering, we don’t feel about it as God feels
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about it and our compassion is wishy-washy. During the second stage, our actions will be somewhat different, or we may add to what we were doing
before. Because as soon as we realize that the problem of poverty in the world is a structural problem, a political problem, then we want to work for social
change. Relief work deals with the symptoms rather than the causes. Relief work is somewhat like curative medicine and the work for social change is
somewhat like preventative medicine. We want to change the structures, the systems that create the poverty. We don’t want to just relieve people when
they are suffering from that poverty. Both are necessary but at this stage you begin to recognize the need for social change. And this may be through a
tremendous amount of activity on our part, action for social change, trying to fight the system and to maybe change governments, getting involved in
politics, campaigns of one sort or another. For some people, it leads to paralysis. What can I do against the system? I can’t do anything to effect structural
change. What can one possibly do in Britain about the structures in the world and policies that create poverty? Some people feel totally paralyzed by it,
while others become very active. This, then, is what I would describe as the second stage; a struggle that goes on within a person at this stage.
HUMILITY
We come now to the third stage. It’s difficult to know what to call this third stage. Basically, it develops with the discovery that the poor must and will save
themselves and that they don’t really need you or me. Spiritually, it’s the stage where one comes to grips with humility in one’s service to the poor. Before
we reach this stage, we are inclined to think that we can, or must, solve the problems of the poor. We, Europeans, aid agency people, conscientized
middle-class people, the church maybe, leaders, either alone or perhaps together with others, have got to solve all these problems. Governments or
people who are educated must solve these problems of the poor. We see the poor as what we often call the needy; we must go out and rescue them
because they are helpless. There may even be some idea of teaching them to help themselves. But it’s always we who are going to teach them to help
themselves. There is a tendency to treat the poor as poor, helpless creatures. Now I am suggesting that at this third stage the shock comes, perhaps
gradually, as we begin to realize that the poor know better than we do what to do and how to do it. That they are perfectly capable of solving structural
problems, or political problems. In fact they are more capable of doing it than you and I are. It is a gradual discovery that social change can only come
from the poor, from the working class, from the Third World. Basically, I must learn from them; I must learn from the poor, from the working class, from the
Third World. Basically I must learn from them; I must learn from the wisdom of the poor. They know better than I what is needed and they, and only they,
can in fact, save me. I need something that only they can give me. It is not that I have things that only I can give them. This can amount, in spiritual terms,
to a crisis. It can also amount to a very deep conversion. I myself came first to pastoral work after a doctorate in theology from Rome. I thought I had the
answers, only to discover gradually that I really knew nothing and that the people who were uneducated, who seemed to be simple, ordinary poor people,
to whom I would have to spear, very simply, they knew better than I. For example, what needed to be changed in South Africa and how it needed to be
changed. I had come to terms with that. We discover that the poor are his chosen instruments and not me. The poor themselves are the people that God
wants to use and is going to use in Christ to save all of us from the crazy madness of the world in which so many people can be starving in the midst of so
much wealth. This can become an experience of God acting and of God’s presence in the poor, not merely as an object of compassion, not merely seeing
the face of Christ in their sufferings, but discovering in the poor, God saving me, God saving us, God acting and speaking to us today.
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The hazard in this third stage is romanticism. Romanticizing the poor, the working class, the Third World. As soon as we’ve made this discovery, we tend
to put the poor on a pedestal: the poor, the Third World, the working classes perhaps. We can get ourselves into a position where, if somebody is poor
and says something, then it is infallibly true. Or, if somebody comes from the Third World, we must all listen simply because he comes from the Third
World. And if he does do something, it must be right. That’s romanticism, and it’s nonsense. On the other hand, it is a kind of romantic nonsense that
somehow we all seem to need at one stage. As long as we recognize what we’re doing, I don’t think it necessarily is very bad. But it can become a
problem at the end of this third stage. We are likely to reach a crisis, a crisis of disillusionment and disappointment because the people of the Third World,
or the poor, have not lived up to the heroic picture we had of them. We have misunderstood the structural problem. It doesn’t mean to say that poor
people in themselves are any different as human beings from anyone else. They have their problems, like anyone else.
SOLIDARITY
That brings me to the fourth and last stage. That stage, I am suggesting, centers around the experience of solidarity, real solidarity with the poor and the
oppressed. And I think the real beginning of this stage of our spiritual development is the disappointment and disillusionment that we experience when we
discover that the poor are not what we thought romantically they were. I am not saying that we do not have a great deal to learn from the poor. I maintain
that. I am not saying that the poor are not going to save themselves and us. I maintain that. I am not saying that they are not God’s chosen instruments.
They are. All of that remains true. But they are human beings: they make mistakes, are sometimes selfish, sometimes lacking in commitment and
dedication, sometimes waste money, are sometimes irresponsible. They are sometimes influenced by the middle class and have middle-class aspirations
and sometimes believe the propaganda and perhaps don’t have the right political line. Maybe they are not all that politicized. Nevertheless, I can and
must learn from them. Nevertheless, only the poor and the oppressed can really bring social change. It is simply a matter of moving from romanticism
about the poor to honest and genuine realism, because that’s the only way that we can move into this fourth stage. I’m talking about the stage of real
solidarity. Real solidarity begins when it is no longer a matter of we and they. Up to now I’ve described everything in term s of we and they because this is
how we generally experience it. Even when we romanticize the poor, make tremendous heroes of them, put them on a pedestal, we continue to alienate
them from ourselves –– there is a gap between us and them. Real solidarity begins when we discover that we all have faults and weaknesses. They may
be different faults and weaknesses according to our different social backgrounds and our different social conditions and we m ay have very different roles
to play, but we have all chosen to be on the same side against oppression. Whether we’re in Europe or South Africa, whether we’re black or white,
whether we were brought up in a middle class or working class, we can be on the same side against oppression, well aware of our differences. We can
work together and struggle together against our common enemy –– the unjust policies and systems –– without ever treating one another as inferior or
superior but having a mutual respect for one another while recognizing the limits of our own social conditioning.
This experience, and it is an experience of solidarity with God’s own cause of justice, can become spiritually an experience of solidarity with God in Jesus
Christ. It is a way of coming to terms with ourselves in relationship with other people, with our illusions, our feelings of superiority, with our guilt, our
romanticism, which then opens us up to God, to others, to God’s cause of justice and freedom. This is a very high ideal and it would be an illusion to
imagine that we could reach it without a long, personal struggle that will take us through several stages –– dark nights, crisis, struggles, shocks and
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challenges. The four stages I have described then are not rigid so that you have to go through exactly one stage after another. It does get mixed up. But I
have presented this model in the hope that our attitude to the poor may always remain open to further development. The one really bad thing that can
happen to any of us is that we get stuck somewhere along the way. We are then no longer able to appreciate others who have gone farther. Because we
don’t realize that it’s a process, we also don’t appreciate and understand those who are still beginning. We need to understand that we and the church are
all going through a process, spiritual development, a growth and a struggle. We’re in it together and we need to help and support one another in it. We in
South Africa and the church in general, are going through this process. Let us help it, encourage it, struggle with it in ourselves, because today it is the
only way we are going to come closer to God and be saved.
Reverend Albert Nolan, OP, is a former provincial of the Dominicans in
South Africa and former national chaplain of the Young Christian Students
in South Africa. In September, 1983, he was elected master general of the
Dominicans but was permitted by the General Chapter to refuse the appointment
in order to continue his work in South Africa. He is the author of Jesus
Before Christianity (Orbis, 1978).
Reflection questions
1. At what stage in helping the poor are you? Compassion? Seeing
poverty as a structural problem? Realizing the poor must save
themselves? Becoming disillusioned with the poor?
2. Imagine yourself moving through these four stages.
3. Picture Jesus meeting you at one of the four stages and carry on a
dialogue with him about being in this stage in your attitude toward
the poor.
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Appendix D
Namaste
Namaste
Namaste
The God in me,
The God in me,
The God in me,
the love journey
the love journey
the love journey
that is mine
that is mine
that is mine
honours
honours
honours
the God in
the God in
the God in
you
you
you
and the love
and the love
and the love
journey
journey
journey
that has been
that has been
that has been
and is
and is
and is
Yours.
Yours.
Yours.
Namaste
Namaste
Namaste
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